The floor where Ariana and Adele had had dinner was not high, and there was a restroom in the dining area of each floor.
Just outside the restroom window lay a garden, where there were muddy footprints of the person who had kidnapped Adele.
âAdeleâs been taken.
The kidnapper could be near the garden.
I need help.
â Struggling to remain composed, Ariana contacted the bodyguards and Holden as she traced the muddy footprints.
The garden path split in two, each fork paved with smooth, curving cobblestones.
The muddy footprints scattered messily over both paths seemed to deliberately confuse Ariana.
While pondering which route the kidnapper had chosen, Ariana faintly heard Adeleâs cries.
Quickly, Ariana pinpointed the cries to the left cobblestone path.
She believed she and Adele were now about ten meters apart.
Adeleâs muffled sobs, pained yet subdued, made it painfully clear her mouth was being covered.
Arianaâs face darkened, and her eyes were full of anger.
She had gone through so much to find her daughter, always guarding her closely to avoid any mishaps.
How dare Moss treat her daughter Like this?
âMoss Valdez!â Ariana exclaimed through clenched teeth, her pace quickening with each step.
As Ariana approached, she finally caught sight of Adele and the kidnapper.
To her shock, it wasnât Moss who had taken her daughter.
It was Sadie.
Exhaustion was evident in Sadieâs movements, causing her to slow down, and Ariana quickly closed the distance between them.
At the end of the path was a bridge.
On the bridge, Ariana confronted Sadie.
âMom!â Adeleâs voice, thick with desperation, cut through the air as soon as she spotted Ariana.
âDonât be scared; Iâm here now,â Ariana reassured Adele quickly.
She then turned to Sadie, her eyes blazing with anger.
âSadie, release my daughter this instant!â
However, Sadie seemed oblivious to her demands.
In a sudden, harsh movement, she struck Adele on the head, her words laced with venom.
âUngrateful child! I cared for you for five years, and the moment Iâm gone, you start calling another woman mom?â
Adele was struck so hard on the head that she cried out loud.
Fury surged through Ariana as she watched her daughter suffer.
âSadie, have you lost your mind? Sheâs just a child! Why did you hit her like that? Give her back to me, now!â With those words hanging in the air, Ariana made a move to rescue her daughter.
âDonât move!â Sadie quickly said.
Ariana froze as she watched Sadie tighten her grip around Adeleâs neck.
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Ariana battled the rising anger.
She was worried Sadie would actually hurt Adele.
âAdele is my daughter, not yours!â Fixing her gaze on Sadie, Ariana said, âIf it hadnât been for you, I wouldnât have lost five years with my daughter.
Adele wouldnât become like this!â